Thursday, September 29, 2011

Mark 14:3-9

Jesus and His disciples are having dinner at Simon's house, when a young lady comes in with an alabaster box filled with spikenard (a kind of precious oil) and pours the spikenard over the Savior's head.

When the disciples saw this, they were verbally upset, saying that the oil could have been sold and that money used to help the poor. Jesus, however, did not take that stance. He loved her for having done this great service unto Him. He told them that she was dressing His body in preparation for burial. That made me think about all the uses for and the significance of oil.

The Bible Dictionary talks about anointing. it says:

"Anciently anointing was done for reasons both secular and sacred. It is a sign of hospitality...and of routine personal grooming...The maimed or sick were anointed with wine, oil, and/or ointment as medicine. The sick were also anointed with oil as part of the sacred procedure in healing of the sick by faith and the laying on of hands."

For those of you who may not know, healing is still invoked by the anointing of oil and the laying on of hands. I have seen this healing occur many times. One such instance I will never forget.

Several years ago, my cousin's wedding reception was held on a Saturday night. My parents had come in town for the occasion. Everything was going swell until *WHAM*, at 2am Monday morning, Mom, Dad, Kelly, and Ryan all began to vomit violently at the same time. This throwing-up and diarrhea went on and on through the night and into the morning without slowing down. We had no idea where this sickness came from and why it only infected half of us.

Early in the afternoon, Brett came to the hotel with some crackers and Gatoraide. Dad asked if Brett would give them all blessings. So, he used holy anointing oil, consecrated for the healing of the sick and afflicted, and blessed them all to be healed. It was so humbling to see son bless father when Dad could not do it himself.

Immediately afterwards, the throwing-up stopped. No one threw up at all after they were blessed. And their strength started to return.

Later, we got a phone call from many family members who were at the wedding who all got the same sickness at the same time. Turns out it was the Wedding Cake that was food poisoned! Everyone who took even one bite of the cake became violently ill for hours.

I know that this young lady at Simon's house did not hold the priesthood and was not "healing" Jesus. But this kind act did heal His spirit, in feeling loved and appreciated before taking the long hard road to Calvary.